In a disaster situation, it should be someone out of town. If a large-scale emergency, such as a tornado, strikes the area, local phones may not be in service, but cell phones may be able to get a signal that can connect to someone outside the area. So, establish a family member or friend who lives out of state that everyone would call to report their location and status.
Having an out of town contact is only one piece of a family emergency plan. There is a good chance that you may not be with your family at the time of an emergency. To make sure you are ready, take a few minutes to create a family emergency plan. Ready.gov provides a simple to follow worksheet that will help you be prepared.
In addition to having an emergency plan, you should also have an emergency kit with items such as food, water and medicine. Click here for a detailed list of items you should have in your emergency kit.